Community Work with Underprivileged Children in Costa Rica

  Costa Rica

• North Western Region: 
Atenas,  San Ramon

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks and 9-12 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks

Description: The diversity in Costa Rica doesn't stop with the animals swinging and jumping around its jungles. It has a vibrant cultural life and though its simple charms attract more than 1 million visitors every year, it still manages to keep its relaxed way of life. This important project runs day care centres and shelters to help children who have been affected by poverty and abuse in the poorer suburbs of the Central Valley towns. Your role would be to give positive direction to a range of ages and help encourage community development. Your days will be spent playing with the kids, teaching English, preparing meals and even helping with homework.

Project details:
There are a number of projects that you could be placed in various locations throughout Costa Rica. i-to-i volunteers will be working with disadvantaged children in shelters in Palmares, Atenas and San Ramon. The projects are shelters where the children have been removed from their families due to various reasons such as neglect or abuse.

Why volunteer at this project:
Because the children are lacking in basic skills, care and attention that is much needed to develop their social skills further and just to receive love that they would otherwise not get.

Highlights:
* Costa Rica's fantastic culture and scenery
* Working alongside dedicated Costa Ricans to improve the life of the children
* Being part of, and learning from, one of the world's friendliest cultures
* Exploring at weekends - beaches, volcano's, forests, they're all there waiting for you!

Qualifications: What kind of skills you need to go on this type of project:
These projects require volunteers who are dedicated and willing to immerse themselves into at time difficult situations. You will have a love of children for the majority of projects and be willing to give a lot of care and love. These projects generally have few resources, so you must have a lot of initiative and creativity with the facilities that are available to you. You will need to be able to either speak intermediate Spanish, or be able to dedicate enough time to hold a good conversation at your project. The Spanish add on lessons are highly recommended.

Your role as a volunteer:
You will be involved in caring for the children and teaching them basic skills, these may include teaching English, planning recreational activities as well as sports activities, helping at dinner times, basic life skills. You will be generally giving care and attention that they would otherwise not receive. You may be also working with teenagers and adults by helping them with basic English and planning recreational activities for the community.

Cost in US$: USD 1755.00 for 4 weeks, USD 330.00 for every week

* Accommodation: Single room in homestay
* Food: All meals
* Airport Pickup: Included on arrival date. Ask us for details if you're arriving early!
* Training: In-country orientation
* Support: Pre-departure helpdesk, Local in-country team and 24 hour emergency support

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18-80

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Costa Rica Independently

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

i-to-i Meaningful Travel's Mission Statement: i-to-i is an award-winning organization providing unique opportunities for you to travel, work and live abroad. Thousands of travelers aged 18 to 80 have joined our volunteer vacations and over 50,000 have learned to Teach English as a Foreign Language through our tailor-made TEFL courses. With over 400 projects on 4 continents, you can join the worldwide i-to-i volunteer community on an extended adventure in areas such as teaching, community development, sports coaching, conservation, building or internships in tourism, marketing, journalism, or health.

Year Founded: 1994